Sefer Bemidbar as Sefer Hamiddot: The Book of Numbers as the Book of Character Development

While it is true the Bible does relate important episodes in the history of the Jewish people it is thought of as being much more than a history book. This is why many question the Bibles rationale for including a book such as Numbers one which seems to be little more than a history book. In comparison Genesis as a history book makes sense. It tells of the creation of the heavens and earth and the foundational stories of the Jewish people. Even Exodus which relates the departure of the Jewish people from Egypt has many legal sections. This thus begs the question: what exactly is the Book of Numbers and what role does it play in the overall narrative of the Bible? Presenting Numbers as the book of character development is the major guiding principle of the pedagogical approach set forth in this book for teaching Numbers. This approach can also be used for teaching Genesis. However the characters in Genesis are portrayed as either “very good” or “evil.” Not so in Numbers whose main personalities can and should be viewed in hues of grey making it a very appropriate vehicle for teaching character development to high school students.